Team India's new jersey unveiled

NEW DELHI: From next time the men in blue will be in different attire when they play One-Day International or Twenty20 international. New Jersey has been unveiled for the Indian team on Wednesday.

The new jersey, this time, changed for the second time in two years. Team India skipper M S Dhoni, pacer Zaheer Khan, Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Karthik, Pragyan Ojha and Rohit Sharma unveiled the jersey.

The occasion became more special when former players like Venkatesh Prasad, Vinod Kambli, Robin Singh and Laxman Sivaramakrishnan were also present wearing the old blue jersey of the Team India.

This time the colour of the jersey is totally different from the traditional colour, which the players were wearing. Skipper MS Dhoni also praised the new jersey.

"It would look good, won't get dirty easily," said Dhoni in a funny way.

The Indian team will wear the new jersey when they tour New Zealand.

The Indian team will leave for New Zealand on Thursday and will start the tour with a Twenty20 match at Christchurch on February 25. The next Twenty20 game will played in Wellington on February 27.

The ODI series starts from March 3, while the Test series will get underway from March 18.

Soruce: http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Team-Indias-new-jersey-unveiled/articleshow/4148955.cms

Dhoni and Yuvraj win ICC awards

India one-day captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was named the International Cricket Council (ICC) 2008 one-day international player of the year here on Wednesday. At the same awards ceremony, Dhoni's India team-mate Yuvraj Singh became the inaugural winner of the Twenty20 international performance of the year. Dhoni beat fellow nominees Sachin Tendulkar, Australia quick Nathan Bracken and Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf to win the award. During the voting period, Dhoni played 39 ODIs and scored 1,298 runs at an average of 49.92 and at a rate of 82.46 runs per 100 balls faced. In that time he hit a century and nine fifties. The wicket-keeper also made 62 dismissals (46 catches and 16 stumpings) in the same period. Dhoni, currently ranked as the world's best ODI batsman, said: "I am really happy to get this - it's a great privilege. "Also, it feels great to know that I am the first Indian player to get this particular award and it's very special because now I am in the company of a lot of other good cricketers. "Some fantastic players have won this award in the past and to be mentioned in their company is truly a humbling experience for me." Yuvraj's award was recognition for the batsman's feat in hitting six sixes off an over from England fast bowler Stuart Broad during the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa last year, which India eventually won after defeating Pakistan in a thrilling final. It was the first time a player had hit six sixes in a single Twenty20 international over. Herschelle Gibbs did it in an ODI during the last year's World Cup in the Caribbean while West Indies great Garfield Sobers became the first man to achieve the feat in a first-class match back in 1968. "I would like to thank the ICC for recognising the performances of the players - it's an important aspect of the year for us," said Yuvraj. "After the fifth six in that over I remember having butterflies in my stomach and I knew that if I managed to hit it for six it would be very special. It was a great feeling when I saw the ball go over the boundary."

source: www.cricbuzz.com

Yuvraj Singh to be chief guest at Euro match

Fri, 13 Jun 2008, Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh will present the man of the match award at the Euro 2008 match between Switzerland and Portugal in Basel on Sunday, a sponsor said.

Yuvraj faces a late night dash from the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka to reach Basel in the time for the game where his footballing hero Cristiano Ronaldo will be playing for Portugal.

The elegant left-hander, 26, will leave Dhaka soon after the tri-series final between India and Pakistan ends on Saturday night, an official said. Indian cricketers have rarely shared the spotlight at a top-level football meet, but Yuvraj's presence in Basel is part of a global promotion by beer manufacturers Carlsberg, one of Euro's sponsors.

"India is among a few select countries that have been asked to take a celebrity to represent India at Basel," a release from the sponsors said. Yuvraj, the Indian vice-captain, said he was delighted to be asked to be chief guest at the presentation ceremony.

"Obviously it's a huge honour to be invited to give away the man of the match award in a tournament like the Euro," Yuvraj told the Indian media in Dhaka. "I've always supported Manchester United and am a great fan of Ronaldo.

"I try and watch their games even if I can't watch other matches in the Premiership. Even recently, after a match I stayed up at night and watched the Champions League final where Man U beat Chelsea," he said.

Indian one-day captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was the original choice for the Basel trip, but declined citing prior commitments.

The only obstacle in Yuvraj's way for a date with Ronaldo will be if the Dhaka final is interrupted by rain on Saturday, since Sunday has been set aside as a reserve day

source: www.cricbuzz.com